Heel-filing machine



(No Model.)

W. GORDON.

HEEL FILING MACHINE.

No. 285,997. Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

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I M 7 ,4 W Mum. V M W NITEI) STATES FFIEEEi nrnnr HEEL-FILING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,997, dated October2, 1883.

Application filed April 27, 1883. (Nomodchl To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GonnoN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improve ments inHeel-Filing Machines, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention has for its object to provide improved means for trimmingboot and shoe heels and for smoothing or reducing the toplift ortread-surface of a heel.

The invention consists in an organized ma chine having a reciprocatingfile, formed either to trim the sides of the heel, as a substitute forthe rotary cutter generally employed, or to level or reduce thetread-surface of the heel, as I will now proceed to describe.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 represents a top view of the same. Fig. 3 representsan end view.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in allthe figures.

In the drawings, a represents a suitable supportingframe, mounted on astandard, I), and containing the bearings of a horizontal shaft, 0,which is provided with a pulley, (l, on which runs a driving-belt. Atthe opposite ends of the frame are vertical guides c e, in which arefitted slides f f, which are adapted to reciprocate vertically, and areprovided with suit. ble slots, y into which project eccentrics h 71,formed on the ends of the shaft 0, said eccentrics being adapted, whenthe shaft rotates, to reciprocate the slides ff vertically in the guidesc 0. Each slide f is provided with a file holder or clamp, 71, eachcomposed of two outwardly-projecting arms, 2 2, connected at their innerends by the plate 8, attached to the slide f, and provided 011 the innersides of their outer ends with recesses or seats 4 4 for the corners ofthe files j j. -Said files, when placed in the recesses, as shown inFig. 2, are secured by means of a screw-bolt, 7:7, which passes throughthe arms 2 2 and causes them to bite or grasp the edges of the files jj, the arms 2 2 springing inwardly under the pressure of the screw 7.".It will be seen that the files thus secured are reciprocated. with theslides f f. The file j has its acting surface formed or molded to impartthe desired curvature to the sides of a heel, while the file j has afiat working-surface adapted to level the tread of a heel.

The acting surface of the file may he formed in any suitable manner, thefile-teeth being cut by any of the methods now in use, or in any otherdesirable manner.

The boot or shoe having a heel to be operated upon may be presented tothe file in any suitable manner, and is preferably mounted on a suitablejack. If desired, however, the boot or shoe may be held by the operator,and partially supported by a fixed rest attached to the frame a, saidrest being arranged with relation to the file substantially as the restshown in Letters Patent granted to me December 5, 1882, N 0. 268,480,for heelburnishing machine, is arranged with relation to theburnishing-tool shown in said patent.

I have found by 'practical experience that the reciprocating file,acting 011 the surface of a heel to perform either of the operationsdescribed, does not burn or injure the leather, like an ordinary rotarytrimining-cutter, or like a rotary wheel having an abrasive surfaceadapted to level the tread of a heel. The heel is therefore left inbetter condition by the file than by the appliances heretofore used.

I do not limit myself to the employment of the twodifferent]y-formed.files in. a single organized machine, as a machineemploying a single file will be no departure from the spirit of myinvention. N or do I limit myself to the particular means shown forreciprocating the file, as said means may be variously modified.

I claim as my invention 1. A heel-file having its abradingsurlace curvedin one direction to fit the outline of the heel, and being straight indirection of its length, so as to be adapted to operate on the heel byreciprocating motion, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a heel-filing machine, of' a file having itsabrading-surface curved in one direction to fit the heel, and

being straight in direction of its length, With to this specification,in the presence of two mechanism, substantially as described forresubscribing Witnesses, this 24th day of April, 10 ciprocating saidfile in a right line. 1883.

3. The combination of the slide f, having i 5 the c1an1ping-arms2 2 andclamping-screw k, WILLIAM O combined with mechanism for reciprocatingWitnesses: said slide, as set forth. O. F. BROWN, In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name A. L. WHITE.

